‘Scandal’ Recap: A Beloved Character Meets A Bloody End

After a week of speculation, the March 20 episode of ‘Scandal’ revealed who got shot — and it was absolutely heartbreaking.

The March 20 episode of Scandal was one accompanied by lots of tears. A beloved character met their end and sent all of Washington into a tailspin. Plus, a shocking, steamy make-out and the return of Mama Pope (Khandi Alexander)!

‘Scandal’ Recap: Jake Murders James

Yes — sadly, James Novak (Dan Bucatinsky) is no longer with us. When Jake (Scott Foley) pointed the gun at James and David (Josh Malina) after killing two innocent women, James bolted. As he ran, Jake took him out. Dead. Gone. It was so quick and without hesitation that I was so not prepared.

In order for his life to be saved, David had to become part of B613. He was running the lead on James’s case too. I guess his white hat is now grey?

In trying to deal with a shocked Cyrus (Jeff Perry), Olivia (Kerry Washington) promised to find out who killed James and bring them to justice. (Easier said than done, Liv.) Cyrus preferred to work rather than grieve, but that didn’t stop the flashbacks of his romance with James from flooding back. In short, it was devastating.

Olivia’s gut finally returned in this episode. She knew James’s death wasn’t the result of a carjacking. Olivia called Jake and explained to him how she believed James was killed because he knew the truth about Daniel Douglas. Jake, playing it as cool as a cucumber, listened and brushed off her theory. He was kind of preoccupied with burying the bodies of the two other women he killed!

‘Scandal’ Recap: Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

In the wake of James’s death, Fitz’s (Tony Goldwyn) campaign was dealing with his huge gun lobby endorsement from the NRA. Fitz wanted to postpone the appearance, but Sally (Kate Burton) wasn’t going to stand idly by. She wanted the endorsement for herself. Thankfully, Mellie (Bellamy Young) and Andrew (Jon Tenney) were on the case.

To gain the endorsement, Mellie and Andrew teamed up and had some fun at the gun range. (Sidenote: the First Lady looks great in flannel.) Mellie is a big fan of the 2nd amendment and she wasn’t kidding, back in Season 2, when she said she had an excellent shot. Their plan worked and all Fitz had to do was make a speech condoning the amendment. However, Cyrus had other plans. Cyrus told Fitz his best option was to switch positions, especially because of his assassination. Cyrus would even let Fitz use James’s death to help. As always, Cyrus’s plan worked and Fitz won this battle with Sally.

Back in Texas, Mellie and Andrew got their flirt on, all in the name of gun laws. I absolutely love their banter. “It’s a shame,” Andrew said. “That he can’t see you the way I do.” After that, Mellie was done. They kissed and got down and dirty on the floor. Bang! (You go, Mellie.)

‘Scandal’ Recap: Everyone Is Worth Saving

Olivia enlisted Huck’s help in the search for James’s killer. He accessed her safe with all the information about Daniel Douglas and scooped out the camera he installed after Defiance. On the camera, he found none other than Quinn (Katie Lowes) and Olivia realized B613 knew everything.

Olivia confronted Jake about James’ murder. Jake admitted that he pulled the trigger and Olivia was shocked. Unlike her father, he said he didn’t need to stick someone in a hole and pull them out to have them do something they wouldn’t come back from. He did the unspeakable act himself.

After this intense revelation, Olivia met with Rowan for a daddy-daughter talk. Olivia had been having a tough time lately dealing with about 1000 things and just needed her dad. She didn’t understand the point of democracy if no one wore the white hat. Rowan told her that when you become the head of B613, you become the hand of god. He went on this rant about the number of people he killed and how it haunted him. He said that Jake’s new position was punishment enough. “Everyone is worth saving,” he said. “Even the monsters. Even the demons.” Their relationship is very sick and twisted, but I love it all the same. (Also, please give Joe Morton his Emmy already.)

Jake put Charlie (George Newbern) and Quinn together to find the suspect for James’s murder. The guy they picked to take the fall needed a liver and they persuaded him by saying he would get one in jail. When David hesitated on arresting him, Jake basically said the only reason he’s alive was to help with the coverup.

Upon learning of Quinn’s involvement in B613, Huck (Guillermo Díaz) headed over to her place. When she arrived, he told her that he was there to kill her. They fought and exchanged some very heated words. He even said she was still a gladiator deep down. (Rejoice!) However, Quinn wasn’t feeling nostalgic. She was still reeling from, you know, Huck pulling her teeth out. She spat in his face. But then they kissed!

‘Scandal’ Recap: The Unraveling

Elsewhere in Washington, Adnan (Nazanin Boniadi) and Mama Pope were working together on a plan that is sure to be catastrophic. How do I know that? During a meeting, Mama Pope just pulled out a gun and shot one of her men she was trying to do business with. (This woman is whack.) Adnan went to Harrison (Columbus Short), clearly freaked about Mama Pope. She wanted out, but she realized she was being followed and fled.

After being mobbed by gladiator problems, Olivia met with David at the Lincoln Memorial to discuss James. She persuaded David to follow through with the suspect and focus his energies on taking down B613. She would put on her white hat, too, and help take it down until there was nothing left.

In an effort to save Cyrus from going nuclear, Olivia told Cyrus that the framed carjacker killed James. However, Cyrus did go rogue and gave the press conference on James. When he reached the podium, he recalled the memory when he finally acknowledged James in public at the first state dinner. Then, he just lost it. He cried at that podium for the world to see. Fitz took him away and Olivia stepped in to finish. (At this point, I’m sobbing. This moment was gut-wrenching.)

To make everything even more depressing, James didn’t die immediately. In a flashback of his killing, we see Jake talking to him in the moments before he died. He apologized for having to be so sloppy with him, but promised to stay with him until he passed. “You are not going to die alone,” Jake said. (There is hope for Jake. I know it.)

HollywoodLifers, What did you think of tonight’s Scandal? Were you devastated by James’s death? How crazy is Mama Pope? What did you think of the Mellie and Andrew’s steamy make out? What about Huck and Quinn? So many questions — give us your answers!

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I also was devastated over the death of James. I’m sure Cyrus will find another love…at least I hope! Don’t downplay Jake…that baby face is disceiving and I know there will be more surprises out of him. Keep your eye on Mellie…she’s the one to watch out for.

As heartbroken as Cyrus was, is there anyone else out there who believes that HE is behind James’ murder? I got that feeling from the previous episode by the way he was telling James he loved him. It’s synonymous with the kiss of death Michael gave Fredo in the Godfather. Just my theory…only time will tell.

I thought Cyrus was behind it too. In the previous episode he went to Jake for help to hide the scandal. He had to know James was going to be killed. That is why he had that emotional scene with him…like you said….kiss of death.

Are you crazy? There is no hope for Jake. He did not need to kill those women or James. He could have made all the evidence disappear or just killed Sally Langston (make it look like an accident or suicide). Jake is a killer and has been all along like Huck except Huck walked away from B613 when he had a chance.

Jake killed James to punish Cyrus whom he dislikes for starting this Daniel Douglas mess. He should have killed Mellie too since she was Cyrus’ partner.

Eli/Rowan Pope would have handled the matter in a cleaner manner so no questions were asked. Now you have two missing women including a reporter who was asking questions and multiple people with knowledge of the killings. Jake sucks at being Command.

I think that problem is that Jake had relationships with all those involved. He even mentions it when he is holding the gun on David and James. I also think that he took care of this because he had a relationship with James. He was able to comfort him in the end. As morbid as that was it was a really nice thing to do. YUCK HORRIBLE. If you noticed Rowan never socialize with anyone. That is so he could keep your emotions out of it. Jake will have trouble because he has a heart and he still hopes to “step into the sun one day. I think that Cyrus did plan James murder but not on purpose. He needed to get things cleaned up but really didn’t say how to go about it. Just do it!!! I don’t know if he imagined that it would be James. But he might have had an inkling because James has been a loose cannon for a while. First it was the election rigging and now this always running to tell if he didn’t get what he wanted ….then he said he just wanted an apology…. REALLY. I guess he imagined that he was in real trouble this time? UGH…….